Press Releases
American Video Contest Needs Your Vote!
May 20, 2009
The U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan is proud to announce that the Democracy Video Challenge, an online video competition that asked participants to complete the phrase, “Democracy is,” has chosen 18 finalists. The winner will be determined by voters in countries around the world. To watch the 18 short videos and to cast your vote, please visit www.youtube.com/democracychallenge. Voting will continue until June 16th at 10:00 a.m.
The finalists, chosen from among a pool of more than 900 entries from 95 countries, represent Brazil (two), Cote d’Ivoire, Germany, India, Iran (two), Japan, Nepal, Philippines, Poland, Serbia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, the United States, Uzbekistan, and Zambia. These videos provide an array of voices and visions about democracy from around the world. The finalists were selected by an independent jury, co-chaired by Michael Apted, president of the Directors Guild of America, and Hernando de Soto, president of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy.
Six winners—one each from the Western Hemisphere, Europe, Middle East/North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central Asia, and East Asia/Pacific—will be announced after the votes are counted in June. The winners will receive an all-expense-paid trip in September to Washington, New York, and Hollywood.
The Democracy Video Challenge was launched online and at the United Nations on International Democracy Day—September 15, 2008. It was created through a unique partnership consisting of democracy and youth organizations, the film and entertainment industry, academia, and the U.S. government. Partners include the Center for International Private Enterprise, Directors Guild of America, International Republican Institute, International Youth Foundation, Motion Picture Association of America, NBC Universal, National Democratic Institute, New York University Tisch School of the Arts, TakingITGlobal, the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, and the U.S. Department of State. YouTube is providing the video platform, and the William Morris Agency is contributing part of the prize package.
All citizens of Kazakhstan are encouraged to vote for their favorite video. The American Corners in Almaty, Oskemen, Karaganda, Shymkent, Uralsk, Atyrau, Petropavlovsk, Aktobe, and Kostenai can provide additional information on the contest. For more information on the Democracy Video Challenge, please contact the U.S. Embassy in Astana at (7172) 70 22 16 or the U.S. Embassy Branch Office in Almaty at (7272) 50 48 62.
